New Caledonia: In the absence of a new referendum, the FLNKS rejects the agreement and calls for elections in November

The FLNKS "formally rejects the draft Bougival agreement, due to its incompatibility with the foundations and achievements of our struggle," said Dominique Fochi, secretary general of the Caledonian Union and member of the FLNKS political bureau, during a press conference in Noumea on Wednesday after the decision was taken at an extraordinary congress of the movement on Saturday.

Signed on July 12 under the aegis of Overseas Minister Manuel Valls, the Bougival Agreement provides in particular for the creation of a "State of New Caledonia" and a Caledonian nationality, as well as the possibility of transferring sovereign powers (currency, justice, police).

But he does not plan a new referendum on independence, sparking a storm of protest among independence activists.

"Bougival is behind us," said Marie-Pierre Goyetche (Labour Party), also a member of the political bureau. "It's a wholesale rejection; we will not participate in the drafting committee" proposed by the Minister for Overseas Territories.

"We are launching a peaceful appeal to our active forces to say stop to the State if it intends to force its way through," she added. The pro-independence camp's mobilization against this project degenerated into riots on May 13, 2024, leading to months of clashes that left 14 dead and several billion euros in damage.

Without waiting for this rejection to be made official, Manuel Valls announced on Sunday that he would be going to New Caledonia "the week of August 18" to try to save the agreement, which he presents as "a historic compromise, the fruit of months of work [...] with all the delegations, including that of the FLNKS."

In a video conference from Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin), where he was imprisoned for almost a year , the president of the FLNKS, Christian Tein, denounced "a forced agreement proposed by Macron".

"We haven't learned the lessons of what the country has been through. We can't build a country like this and put ourselves in a corner. It's humiliating for the Kanak people," lamented the leader, who remains banned from traveling to New Caledonia.

The FLNKS wishes to "open dialogue" for the "signing of a Kanaky agreement on September 24, 2025," leading "to New Caledonia's accession to full sovereignty before the presidential election of 2027," Mr. Fochi emphasized.

He also insisted that discussions were held "under the supervision" of Christian Tein. Released from prison on June 13, he remains under investigation for his alleged role in last year's riots.

The political leader has always denied calling for violence.

Elections postponed

Despite this rejection, "the FLNKS will meet Manuel Valls" during his visit to New Caledonia, assured Sylvain Pabouty (Dynamik unitaire sud).

"We will take this opportunity to tell him that we want the provincial elections to be held next November [...] to determine the real legitimacy of each party. We remain open to discussion with those who will be legitimized by the ballot box," he added.

These elections, crucial in New Caledonia, where the provinces hold the majority of powers, were supposed to be held in May 2024. But they were postponed to November 2025, as part of Gérald Darmanin's plan to thaw the electoral body, which sparked the riots. The Bougival Agreement provides for them to be postponed again, to mid-2026.